Hayden Donnell is a staff writer for The Spinoff.
In what seems like an unlikely source of inspiration, a group of Howick singers have created a folk protest song about Auckland local body planning rules.
New Zealand’s insistence on changing its clocks twice a year doesn’t make sense, and it needs to stop, argues Hayden Donnell.
Owning a home isn’t just paying back a mortgage over 30 years – it also comes with dozens of extra expenses you may not have thought of yet.
Maybe it’s basic. Maybe it’s not to the tastes of foodies about town. But eggs benedict is delicious, writes Hayden Donnell, as he pushes back on the benedict pushback.
In the second in our (rather sporadic) series "Why I love", Hayden Donnell is convinced that Auckland’s best Mexican food is tucked away in an unlikely spot in Henderson.
Simon Bridges said the Government Tax Working Group's call for a capital gains tax was an 'assault on the Kiwi way of life'. That betrays a very depressing and limited view of the Kiwi way of life, says Hayden Donnell.
The National leader faced criticisms for trying and failing to parrot John Key. Hayden Donnell had a solution
Facebook streams have been overrun by an army of anti-1080 activists. We go in search of the source of the spam campaign.
Sometimes it pays to focus on the dark side of gaming. Hayden Donnell shares the harrowing story of his own crippling addiction to Dark Souls.
New Zealand is engaged in a long-running, intense, and completely reasonable debate over whether Santa is a boy or a girl. Hayden Donnell offers his own equally reasonable addition to the discourse.
Cycleways are under fire this week following an incredibly misleading Herald story. Hayden Donnell goes in search of some transport projects to actually get angry about.
Labour is getting crapped on from the left and right after loosening its restrictions on people making capital gains off KiwiBuild houses
How the Wombats, one of the most long-lasting bands from the mid-2000s British guitar rock revival, outlived their contemporaries.
In episode six of Get It to Te Papa, a Lightbox Original made by The Spinoff, Hayden Donnell's journey finally takes him to the national museum.
After a harrowing experience in a Countdown, Hayden Donnell calls for a moratorium on all classic New Zealand snack mash-ups.
Hayden Donnell surveys one of the more rare whiskies to ever go on sale in New Zealand, and asks whether it’s worth its gigantic purchasing price.
In episode five of Get It to Te Papa, a Lightbox Original made by The Spinoff, Hayden Donnell's odyssey takes him to the front door of New Zealand's only true living legend: Suzanne Paul.
People are freaking out about the potential hazards of Lime e-scooters. Hayden Donnell asks whether we could apply these same standards to another type of vehicle causing even more harm.
In episode four of Get It to Te Papa, a Lightbox Original made by The Spinoff, Hayden Donnell goes on the hunt for Auckland's infamous winking, come-hithering Giant Santa.
In episode three of Get It to Te Papa, a Lightbox Original made by The Spinoff, Hayden Donnell starts a valiant campaign to move the country's most famous sign to Te Papa: the Deka sign in Huntly.
Yet another waterfront stadium plan is being put forward for Auckland. Modern-day stadium naysayer Hayden Donnell summons his stadium-supporting past self to debate the merits.
In episode two of Get It to Te Papa, a Lightbox Original made by The Spinoff, Hayden Donnell goes in search of the animatronic veges that instilled both delight and horror in '90s kids across the nation.
Today at midday the first two episodes of Get It to Te Papa, a Lightbox Original made by The Spinoff, are released. Presenter Hayden Donnell has a few words for the infamous subject of episode one.
Two years ago, Spinoff founder Duncan Greive commanded Hayden Donnell to stop pitching things that should be in Te Papa. Today we announce our new show, Get It to Te Papa, starring Hayden Donnell.
Hayden Donnell talks to one of the show’s stars ahead of its seventh season, and tries to convince her to support pro-tenant rental reform.
Auckland has erupted into furious debate over a proposal to adopt a 30km/h speed limit in the city centre. Hayden Donnell comes up with a solution sure to please everyone.
